Pain. That was the first thing Twilight noticed when she woke. She felt like Applejack was bucking the inside of her skull, and her throat felt like a desert. The next thing she noticed was the small light radiating from behind her. She turned and saw her friends huddled in a circle around a lantern, shivering in the chilled air. Rarity was the first to notice Twilight.
"Twilight!" She gasped, and the others turned to look. "Darling, you were out for two whole Wake Cycles!"
"Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash asked, concern showing in the usually cool Pegasus's eyes. Twilight swallowed painfully before answering.
"Tired. I think I'm fine. where are we?" Twilight asked.
"Well... we're not really sure." Rainbow replied. "AJ grabbed you, and we just kinda ran. We only stopped long enough to get Spike, a lantern, and his notes. Fortunately, he had an emergency bag packed with some food and water. we saved some for you, but there wasn't much to go around." Twilight drank the meager supply of water thirstily, and soon wished for more.
"What now? It'll be practically impossible to find our way back to civilization, and even if we do, Nightmare Moon will find us. If we don't, we'll starve!" Spike asked. It struck Twilight how shockingly his vocabulary had grown.
"We'll die of thirst first..." Twilight mumbled gloomily. Suddenly she shot straight up. "My family!" She gasped. "Nightmare Moon will hurt them!"
"No, she won't." A stallion's voice replied. Twilight turned in fear to see Shining Armor step into the light.
"Shining!" Twilight squealed as she rushed and embraced her brother. "How did you find us?!"
"I never lost you. I had to wait for you to wake up, I knew your friends would never trust us." Shining Armor replied. Twilight noted the glinting gold metal under her hooves.
"Us?" AppleJack asked warily. Four more ponies stepped into the light, each wearing golden armor. Twilight's four friends stepped backwards warily, and Twilight stepped away from her brother.
"Shiny, what is this?" She asked with fear in her voice.
"This," Shining Armor replied, "Is the Solar Stance Army."
"But you told me the rebellion was just an old pony's tale!" Twilight exclaimed. Shining looked down apologetically.
"Captain Armor, we need to move. We've tarried too long as it is, It will find us soon." One of the stallions in the group insisted.
"Thank you, Private Glint." Shining replied as he looked back up and met Twilight's eyes. "He's right, Twilight. If you want to stay out of Nightmare Moon's grasp, you need to follow us."
"Twilight, c-c-can we trust them? Not to be rude..."
"I don't know if we should..."
"He lied to ya Twi...
"How'd they get their armor so shiny?"
"I'm scared Twilight!'
"Why wasn't I ever recruited?!" Each of Twilight's friends and Spike spoke out.
Twilight looked in her brother's firm, yet loving eyes. "He's my brother, I trust him. And we don't have any other choice." Shining nodded in appreciation to his sister before turning to his guards.
"Star." He ordered simply, and the four rebels took formation around their seven wards. The group moved through the darkness, each wondering what the future would hold.